Even the best company with the best data processors cannot keep every record up to date without employing data mining despite their best efforts. Why? Because people move, addresses change, duplicate orders are received with minuscule changes, and customers are unreliable to name just a few reasons.
The truth is that it is very easy to end up with duplicate and erroneous data without any true fault on the company or employers end, so data mining a task that should be valued just as highly as data processing. There are many minute ways that you can end up with incorrect data that could cost your company hundreds of dollars in extra costs without any real errors.
For example, say a customer calls once and places an order using their nickname, but places a second order with their formal name. It is very easy and understandable that a second data entry is entered into a customer database and your company wastes postage and paper expense each year sending out catalogs and mailers. This could have been prevented via the process of data mining.
Need another example? A loyal customer moves but re-subscribes as a new customer into of transferring their address. Once again the same situation arises without preventive measures. There are thousands of other scenarios and affects that can arise without proper attention, but with proper data mining techniques you will not have to experience any of them which results in the company saving money and greater customer satisfaction. Just one of the many reasons to include data mining in your company budget.